Understanding Climate Emergency

Climate
Emergency is a declaration of the principle of climate justice, securing a
sustainable future for the coming generations. It is a declaration that
requires immediate action, not just words on paper or document. When a town or
city declares ‘climate emergency’, the next day all business related to mining,
logging, or reclamation project must end; continue transforming our lives for a
greener future- stop contributing waste recycle and re-use instead, participate
in growing more trees not cutting them, care more for people and the planet. It
is environmental action truly lived as a result of declaration.

Institutions
are now declaring ‘climate emergency’, but are failing to defend nature, declaration
only in words. Declaration means to be bold and not afraid to denounce
environmental criminals, not be paralyzed to take the words to heart that we
need to defend the planet.

We
have seen the climate actions inspired by Greta Thunberg, campaigning on her
own and rippled into a global and phenomenal mobilizations. And yet, let this
mobilization not be fizzled-out just like the many emerging social movements
that almost toppled oppressive state-structures but run-dry and ended-up un-sustained.
Let her inspiration embolden more our declaration.

But
how can we make this ‘climate emergency declaration’ be understood in the
communities, and be fully embraced by an ordinary person?

Causes
why we have the Climate Emergency:

Lack of the sense for the common good.
Nature or the environment is a common good, so are the natural resources. Common
good, does not mean ownership nor having the right/s to abuse the natural
resources, but rather, having a responsibility to nurture and ensure
sustainability. We have allowed the limitless ownership and destruction of our
natural resources—for
political, business and development reasons. Sacrificing in the end, our common
ownership. Persons, communities and nature incorporate the global society, the
need to ensure climate and universal justice for them constitute a common
concern. Care for our common home, as Pope Francis rightly calls.

Lack of the sense of social justice.
Any government systems fail, if social justice is not prioritized. Social
justice takes the form of governance and the grounded vision it provides, and
also it can take form of economy and the cycle it can bring, especially the
poor. With the assurance of social justice, the level

Lack of the sense of the future.
Sustainable future is a right of every human being. The immensity of the
damages done to our environment creates a clear sign of ‘no future’ for our
people and planet. The amount of waste we are producing and dumping daily; the
destruction and loss of our forests; the pollution of our atmosphere (including
the oceans and rivers); and the elimination of plant and animal species—all these reflect a
bleak future for all of us. Sadly, governments allow companies and businesses
to destroy our environment—in
the form of development aggression.

Lack of the sense of accountability.
Imposing accountability structures thru policies will caution and ultimately
discourage greed-driven enterprises. The
effects of extractive industries are already measurable, and yet we still allow
them to destroy our ridges and reefs. We have read news and stories of deaths
and destruction in mining sites, areas affected by development aggression, the
massive fires in the Amazon region and Indonesia and yet our governments still
allow corporation to operate and continue destroying our forests.

APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATESDAY 2: ABU DHABI12:00 Welcome Ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace12:20 Official visit to the Crown Prince in the Presidential Palace17:00 Private meeting with the members of the Muslim Council of Elders in the Grand Mosque of Sheik Zayed18:10 Interreligious meeting at the Founder’s Memorial

MEETING OF THE COMMISSION ON FINANCE AND ASSETS IN ROMEInclusive dates: February 4-8, 2019